


listen, mello, listen, for something isn't right

by Diary



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Agnostic Character, Agnostic Near | Nate River, Bechdel Test Fail, Bottle Episode Fic, Catholic Character, Catholic Mello | Mihael Keehl, Gen, Late Night Conversations, POV Male Character, POV Mello | Mihael Keehl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-11-01 00:58:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10911045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diary/pseuds/Diary
Summary: Repost. On neutral ground, Mello extracts a promise from Near. Complete.





	listen, mello, listen, for something isn't right

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Death Note.

Ecclesiastes 3 has always been his favourite passage.

“Is it time to die, Mello,” Near tonelessly inquires, and in doing so, he gives the impression he’s somehow figured out the secret to reading Mello’s thoughts.

In all honesty, Mello isn’t sure Near hasn’t. For one so socially awkward, Near’s always had such a strange habit of grasping Mello’s moods.

Mello looks over.

Under the moonlight and street lamps, Near resembles an underweight bear cub with his panda-bear cap covering his hair and ears, large, white faux-fur coat and boots, and black mittens, but Near’s eighteen, legally, a man, and mentally, he’s been an adult for a long time.

Sighing, Mello takes another swig of his beer and looks down at the river underneath his dangling feet.

“Not for you, little Nia,” he answers. “What’s the third verse?”

“‘A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up’,” Near answers almost too softly to hear.

“Forgiveness is conditional, Near.”

“Is this why Mello wished to meet? To ask forgiveness?”

“Not from you. I wanted to meet to tell you that, when you die, you will go to Heaven. I know that. And as my last request to you, I want you to forget about me. I was never destined for there, and I don’t want your forgiveness, Near. I regret the fact I did bad things, but I don’t personally feel any remorse for the way I treated you. Despite my lack of remorse, if I could make things right, I would. This- this is me trying my best to do what I can,” he says. “When you get there, don’t spare a thought towards me, don’t try to solve my lack of presence, okay?”

“Mello doesn’t ask much.”

For a brief moment, Mello wonders at the sarcasm before realising it’s likely the cold making Near’s tone come out sharper and bitterer than normal.

Mello _isn’t_ asking for much. Near’s a firm agnostic and will be until the day he finds himself talking to Saint Peter. Once he gets there, and Mello knows he will, he knows God accepts based on goodness, not belief, Near will be too busy pestering everyone with questions and trying to figure out exactly how God and the angels and Heaven all work to spare much thought towards Mello.

However, without a promise, he will spare some, and he may decide to put off the questions and attempts to unravel the secrets of the universe until he can get Mello there.

For reasons he’s never been able to fully understand, despite their rivalry, Near’s always had an inexplicable sense of loyalty towards him and Matt.

In return, Matt’s always had an affection of sorts for Near. It might take Matt some more time and effort, but eventually, he’ll get in, too, and Mello doesn’t want to have to worry about him deciding to tag along on any quest of Near’s involving Mello's placement among the condemned. Without Near stoking things, Matt might occasionally wonder, but he’ll just assume Mello will eventually show up and happily go along with whatever Heaven offers.

“Look, I’m not asking you to believe me. Just give me your promise.”

“Mello’s always been the foolish one,” Near states. Carefully, he withdraws his legs from between the safety bars and stands up. “‘All go unto one place; all are of dust, and all turn to dust again.’ Mello’s own book of fairytales acknowledges what happens when one dies. But as Mello’s last request, I agree. If I find myself in Heaven, I need not worry myself over Mello.”

He walks away into the cold night, and staring after him, Mello feels the strongest urge to call him back and make him promise properly.

Near fulfilled his request, he’ll acknowledge, but something doesn’t feel right about the way he did.     


End file.
